At dawn on Sunday, hundreds of people gathered at the Taipei Confucius Temple on the island of Taiwan for a vibrant ceremony honoring Confucius’ 2,576th birthday 🎉. The ritual kicked off at 6 a.m. and unfolded over 37 meticulously designed steps.
Deputy Mayor Chang Wen-te took the lead as the principal presentation officer, while Kung Tsui-chang, a direct 79th-generation descendant of Confucius, served as the consecration officer—connecting past and present in a powerful moment.
Local elders and students stepped in as deacons. Taipei Minglun High School and Taipei Municipal Lishan High School students joined the lineup. A musical ensemble from Taipei Municipal Chongqing Junior High School filled the air with traditional melodies 🎶, and a ritual dance by Taipei Municipal Dalong Elementary School added graceful movement to the ceremony.
Resident Mr. Wang captured the moment on his phone as his daughter performed: 'This is her first ceremony performance and she has practiced a lot. As long as she enjoys it, we will support her all the way.'
Across the island of Taiwan, more than 40 Confucius temples host similar events, including a historic site in Tainan built in 1666. On Sunday, communities everywhere paused to celebrate and reflect on Confucius’ legacy.
An attendee surnamed Hsu traveled from Taoyuan to witness the grandeur in person. He shared, 'Every step is a work of art, showing the beauty of traditional Chinese culture. These customs should be passed down from generation to generation.'
Reference(s):
Taipei Confucius Temple holds annual ceremony marking Confucius' birth
cgtn.com
